Your Life Starts Now
by xXxcelticfangbangerxXx
Summary: /m\ repost, rewritten, see bio/authors notes /m\ Ava Swan is moving back to Forks with her 3 year old daughter after the recent death of her former boyfriend, Nash Stone. When she is re-introduced to her childhood friend, Jacob Black, who imprints on her, will things slowly start to fall in place for her at last?
1. Chapter 1

~ AUTHORS NOTES!~

**ALTERNATE/POST BREAKING DAWN PT 2! I REPEAT ALTERNATE/POST BREAKING DAWN 2! THIS IS ALSO A SISTERFIC AND IF YOU CANNOT HANDLE THAT, THEN DO NOT READ IT. **

**NOW THAT THAT'S OUT OF THE WAY, I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT OR ANY OF IT'S CHARACTERS. IF I DID OWN TWILIGHT, I'D ONLY WANT THE SHIFTERS. -GOT NOTHING FOR THE VAMPS OR BELLA, THOUGH ODDLY ENOUGH, I WRITE HER SO THAT SHE CAN AT LEAST PARTIALLY BE TOLERATED. SO YEAH, SHE WILL BE OOC HERE AND THERE.-**

**JACOB WILL NOT BE IMPRINTING ON RENESMEE. THAT JUST SLIGHTLY CREEPED ME OUT. YES, I KNOW WHAT AN IMPRINT IS, NO I DON'T NEED A LESSON. IT'S STILL CREEPY AS ALL FUCK, HIS HAVING TO WAIT ON THE KID TO GROW UP. **

**ANY NEEDED INFORMATION ON AVA IS ON MY PROFILE. PRETTY MUCH GOT THIS ALL PLANNED OUT. :P IF YOU HATE HAPPY ENDINGS, DON'T READ. I WANTED TO WRITE A LOVE STORY, DAMN IT, HERE IT IS.**

**SETTING/TIME FRAME:**

**POST BREAKING DAWN PT 2, DECEMBER.**

**WARNINGS:**

**1. SWEARING**

**2. OOC MOMENTS**

**3. EVENTUAL SEX**

**4. DARK SUBJECTS**

**5. PROBABLY A LITTLE HIDDEN BASHING**

**6. JACOB CENTRIC**

**7. CHANGES TO BREAKING DAWN PT 2**

_**** HUGE CHANGE IS THE AGES. TO MAKE THIS WORK, I'VE AGED BELLA AND JACOB UP TO 19. INSTEAD OF BELLA GETTING TURNED AT 18, SHE'S TURNED AT 19. DEAL WITH IT. IF IT REALLY BUGS YOU YOU DO NOT HAVE TO KEEP READING.**_

**_** ANOTHER HUGE CHANGE IS THAT I AM SKIPPING ECLIPSE AND EDWARD NEVER LEFT IN NEW MOON. SO JACOB AND BELLA ARE NOT AS CLOSE AS THEY WERE IN THE BOOKS/MOVIES. THEY HUNG OUT, YES, BUT THERE WAS NO ROMANCE. THERE IS NO ROMANTIC HISTORY THERE. I SHIP BELLA/EDWARD ALL THE WAY, I GET ANTSY WHEN SOMEONE HINTS AT A JACOB TRIANGLE WITH THE TWO OF THEM._ **

**8. FLUFFY STUFF.. NO SERIOUSLY.. REALLY, REALLY FLUFFY STUFF. THIS IS POST SERIES, FYI, SO THERE AREN'T MUCH VAMPIRE THINGS/DRAMA WITHIN. HOWEVER, THERE MAY BE SOME.  
**

**CHARACTER WARNINGS:**

**1. !SEXY/DOMINANT JACOB**

**2. !EVENTUAL DAD JACOB**

**OTHERS TO COME, QUITE SURE**

**SUMMARY:**

Ava's been through a lot lately. She and her 3 year old daughter Evie only barely made it through a bad wreck that killed Evie's father, Nash. She makes the decision to move back to Forks to be with her father, since her baby sister, Bella, is moving to Alaska soon with her own family. Ava hasn't really believed in true love or happiness in a long time, given her rather rocky relationship with Nash, but when she is reintroduced to her best childhood friend Jacob Black, she finds herself reevaluating everything she believes.


	2. Chapter 2

Ava pulled her car into her father's driveway, sighed as she parked and looked over at her 3 year old daughter, Evie, who was sleeping fitfully in the passenger seat. She took a deep breath, steeled her nerves and emerged from the car, going around, picking up Evie.

"And for now, princess, we're home." Ava muttered as she walked up the walkway, onto her father's small front porch. She'd been about to knock when the door flew open and Bella stepped out, hugged her and said quietly, "You actually came!" while looking at her niece, eventually taking Evie from her, holding her.

"Hungry." Evie muttered as she began to wake up, fixed her eyes on her aunt, shyly, her chubby thumb in her mouth. Bella nodded and smiling called out behind her, "Hey Charlie! Guess who finally got here?"

Ava smiled a little as her father filled the doorway, pulled her into a tight hug, and then looked her over in concern. The bags beneath her warm brown eyes didn't go amiss, and he sighed as he said quietly, "I'm sorry about Nash, Ava." smoothing his hands over her long brown hair.

"Dad, I'll be okay. I promise. I kinda have to be, Evie needs mommy to be okay." Ava said quietly as she heard loud laughter coming from the dining room. She turned to her father, raised a brow as Charlie called out, "Hey Billy.. Guess who came back home?"

Jacob's head snapped up as the scent filtered in from the doorway. This unexplainable wave of warmth washed over him and he felt like he was in a trance, his eyes fixed on hers. He blinked, it seemed like an eternity passed in literal seconds. His father and Seth nudging him got his attention however and he managed to form a word, finally.

"Ava?"

"Jacob?" Ava asked, looking at her former best friend, the guy she sort of had supressed first love type feelings for, but she'd never been brave enough to tell him, given the slight differences in their ages.

Jacob nodded, raked his hand through his hair as he noticed Bella handing Ava a little girl back, the little girl a lighter brunette miniature of her.

Ava smiled as she said "This is Evie. Evie, this is Jacob.. Or you can call him Uncle Jake. He's one of mommy's oldest and best friends."

Evie studied the tall and dark eyed, dark haired male in curiousity, as if she were feeling him out. She held her arms out, let him take her. Ava smiled and said quietly, "Wow.. She's kinda wary of strangers for the most part."

"Technically, Ava, she's not really a stranger." Bella started as Ava elbowed her sister in the ribs. Now was not the time or the place to mention how Ava still had pictures of herself and Jacob, Bella as kids all over her apartment.

In the end, the whole 'first love' with Jacob, the one she'd never talked about to anyone, she suspected, was what drove a wedge between her older sister Ava and Nash, her niece's father.

Jacob noticed the nudge Ava gave Bella and when Ava walked into the kitchen, holding Evie, who'd wanted to go back to her, hungry and wanting food, Jacob grabbed his other best friend and asked, "Something you're not telling me?" as Edward spoke up sagely, "You first, dog. Why don't you tell Bella what just happened there.."

Bella fixed her eyes on Jacob expectantly, waiting and Jacob said quietly, "I just.. I imprinted on Ava." sheepishly almost as Bella groaned inwardly and then said with a smile, "I sort of always figured it'd be her, Jacob. If she'd been around more, it probably would have happened a long time ago." as she studied Jacob for a moment and then said quietly, "And as for why Evie probably felt okay with going to you.. Ava sort of raised her alone. I mean Nash was there, but he wasn't.. The two of them were always fighting, he was always leaving. Ava kept a lot of her childhood photos of us around the house, so she probably felt okay going to you, because you're sort of not really a stranger to her."

Jacob nodded and then said quietly, "Is she moving back here?"

Bella shrugged and Edward focused for a moment, trying to read Ava's thoughts. Unlike Bella and Charlie, Ava didn't actually have a shield. If she had one, she had no idea how to use it, how to block her thoughts from being read. He concentrated and then said with a casual smirk, " Apparently, she is. She's nervous, worried that your father might not want the two of them underfoot all the time."

Jacob nodded then said quietly, "I gotta go outside. I just have to get my head around this.." as he turned, walked out onto the porch. The door opening behind him had him asking "What? I just needed fresh air."

Seth spoke up with a teasing grin as he walked over to stand by his friend. "So.. You imprinted on Ava."

"Mhmm."

"Awesome. I like her. Evie's cute. Leah's in the kitchen feeding her mashed up banana pudding now while they're talking 'girl talk.' Your name may or may not have come up." Seth said as Jacob looked at him and asked, "How?"

"Oh just that it was really nice to see you again. But she had that look in her eyes." Seth mused as Jacob looked at him, brow raised as he snickered and asked, "Since when did you become a body language expert?"

"Since my own imprint is so difficult to understand." Seth admitted as he said calmly, "Come on. Come back inside. Your dad figured out what happened already."

"Oh great." Jacob groaned inwardly, knowing his father would mostly tease him about it.

They walked back into the house, sitting down at the table, resuming the meal. And naturally, things worked out so that Ava and Jacob wound up sitting together, Evie wound up picking through their plates combined. Ava smiled a little, laughing, trying to make herself feel at least halfway alright.

Like it didn't hurt knowing that Evie barely knew her father, and now that Nash was gone, Evie wouldn't ever get to know him. Like it didn't hurt knowing that the last thing she and Nash said to one another weren't bitter angry words.

For now, though, she was home. Maybe being home was the first step in the whole healing process.

They'd finished eating and she found herself upstairs in her old bedroom, lying on her old bed, Evie lying next to her. Bella walked in and sat down, asked, "Well?"

"All I can say, Bella, is wow. But it's just.. It's too soon.. Besides, what guy is going to willingly accept dating a girl who has a 3 year old?" Ava admitted quietly as Bella hugged her older sister and said "We'll talk tomorrow. Come by the cottage." before walking out of the room.

Ava found herself going back mentally, as she often did, mostly before now, on nights she and Nash would fight.. What if she had spoken up, despite her age difference with Jacob? What if she had went for it?

Now, though, she just wasn't honestly sure if she had the strength to try again. Not after all she'd been through. She didn't want to put Evie through hell, be a bad mother.

She grumbled at herself and then rolling over, she leaned in and gave her daughter a kiss on her forehead, tucked her in tightly, then tried to get some sleep herself.

Meanwhile, Jacob lie on his bed, his arms behind his head as he mulled over his current situation. All he could think about was her, seeing her again, being with her, eventually being a father to Evie. It threw him for a loop, he was trying to decide how he felt about it, if he could actually do this without making a huge mess of it.

"I have to at least try. I should have made a move years ago. But they were never around when I got the nerve to do it. But now, I have another chance." he muttered as he smirked to himself, walked into the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water, slamming it back.

He could do this. He wanted to do this and he needed to do this.


	3. Chapter 3

Evie giggled as she woke up the next morning, found her grandpa already awake, in his room down the hall. She tiptoed in carefully, tugged at his blanket, looked up at him with wide warm brown eyes, her double ponytails falling messily.

Charlie sat up, bent to pick up the little girl. "You must be hungry." he asked as he smiled at her. She nodded and said quietly, "Mama sleepy." while yawning herself. She held out her Furby to him and then said "He sing." Charlie took the brightly colored furry toy and found the button on it's little plush body, activating it, making the Furby start to sing and dance. He laughed and rubbed the little girl's hair as he asked, "What do you want to eat?"

"Chocolates?" Evie asked hopefully as Charlie shook his head no and said "Well, you definitely got your mom's sweet tooth, pixie. Let's see if I have any cereal or anything." standing, carrying the little girl down the stairs and into the pale blue and white tiled kitchen, looking around.

He'd let Sue and Billy pick him up a few things from the grocery store earlier, hopefully they'd bought cereal. If they didn't, he might just have to remember how he made chocolate chip pancakes like he used to for Bella and Ava when they were Evie and Renesmee's age.

Luckily, he found a box of coco puffs and a half gallon of milk. He poured a bowl of cereal, sat down at the table with a spoon and the bowl, Evie and her furry little toy in his lap. Evie looked around, as if something were missing, but she silently ate her food, looking like she were lost in thought.

"Are you alright, Pixie?" Charlie asked as Evie asked him, "Where people go?"

Charlie chuckled and said "They left last night, Pixie. But maybe they'll come back over later." as he smiled at her. She nodded, seeming to accept this answer, biting her little lip as she thought for a few moments. She hoped that the really tall and nice guy came back. Her mommy had pictures of him all over their old apartment.

Ava sat up, rubbed her eyes. They stung because she'd started to cry during sleep the night before, everything just hit her all at once. Evie's spot in the bed was empty and she heard laughing, the sound of saturday morning cartoons on tv downstairs. Stretching, she stood and pulled on the oversized plaid shirt she slept in or used as a robe, and ignoring the mirror, she made her way down the stairs clumsily, seeking coffee, something, anything to wake her up.

She stopped in the doorway of the den, watched her father and Evie watching cartoons, Evie giggling infectiously at the roadrunner and the coyote, covering her mouth as she watched the screen with wide eyes. After a few moments, she stood in front of the coffee pot, waiting, watching the liquid drip. The past few months had been harder than she thought they'd be.

She'd tried fooling herself into believing that his being gone was the same as his having left, he did that a lot. But it wasn't. It was totally different, especially when one took into account the words they shouted at one another the night of the accident.

He'd proven her wrong in the end, he'd died saving both her and Evie from going through the windshield. She knew Evie had nightmares sometimes, but the doctor told her once that with any luck, Evie wouldn't actually remember what happened until much later in life. Children, it seemed were resiliant like that and her brain probably supressed the night of the accident, instead, she just thought that 'daddy left for good' this time.

Charlie walked into the kitchen and said from behind his daughter, "It's okay to cry, Ava." as she turned around, hugged her father and said quietly, "Crying's never actually been my thing, daddy. You know that. I couldn't when I was smaller because Bella needed her big sister to set an example. I can't cry now because I don't want to fall apart on Evie, let her down when she needs me the most."

"That's why you came home, Ava. So you could grieve and be okay again. You can't grieve if you don't cry." her father admitted as Evie ran in and giggling tugged the hem of the shirt Ava wore, pointed to the television. "It funny, Mama."

"I know, pixie. Let's go watch, okay?" she asked as she hugged her father and grabbed her mug of coffee.

Charlie stood in the kitchen watching the two of them. In some ways, he was glad Ava came home as opposed to going at this alone, for his own selfish reasons, but in other ways, he hated to see her in pain like this, know there wasn't really anything he could do about it but let it run it's course.

"So.. Sue suggested we all go out together and get a tree later with her and Billy? Like we all used to?" Charlie asked as Ava looked up and said quietly, "It's fine with me.. Evie, do you want a tree?" as Evie clapped and nodded. Ava smiled a little. She'd been unsure as to whether she was doing the right thing, coming home, being a pain in the ass with her problems, but sitting here now, she was at least 99 percent sure she'd made the right decision.

Maybe just moving to Forks where there was nothing painful tying her or Evie to the past, what they'd lost this last year was a good idea, a better one than she thought it'd be originally. Evie slid onto her lap, Furby in hand, pointing to the tv, jabbering.

Charlie grumbled when his hand held radio went off, just as How The Grinch Stole Christmas came on and Evie was settling down between himself and his oldest daughter, attempting to take a nap. He looked at Ava and asked, "Are you two going to be alright? It's probably just a drunk and disorderly, something small."

"Dad, we'll be fine." Ava assured her father as she settled Evie in on the couch, covered her up with a bright pink and blue plush blanket. Her father had only actually just left when she heard Bella and Edward standing outside on the porch knocking. She stood, stretching and went to let them inside, found to her surprise that Rosalie and Emmett and Jasper and Alice had come along apparently.

"Charlie hasn't gotten a tree yet?" Alice asked as Ava shook her head, gave her brother in law a warning look as she said calmly, "Out of my mind, Edward."

"I wasn't trying to get in your mind, Ava. Maybe if you didn't think so loud?" Edward joked quietly, letting Renesmee down, Renesmee running into the living room to see her cousin. They were around the same age, but Renesmee being what she was, had to pretend she was older.

Evie peeked through her hand as she looked up at her older cousin then said quietly, "My mama sad."

Renesmee nodded and then said quietly, "Hold out your hand, Evie." as she grabbed Evie's hand in one of her hands, put her other hand on Evie's cheek. She focused, showed Evie a picture of their 'uncle' Jacob then whispered, "Your mommy likes him. She always has."

Evie nodded, smiled a little and let Renesmee onto the couch with her, held up her blanket.

Bella and Ava stood in the doorway, watching their daughters as Rosalie said with a quiet smile, "Evie's a pretty little girl." Ava smiling as she said quietly, "Thank God she took more after Nash than me." with Bella quietly chuckling and shaking her head, pointing to a photo on the mantle of them with their father. "No, Ava. She's your junior."

"She is." Alice said as she giggled and then whispered something to Rosalie who whispered back. "Okay you two. What's going on?"

"Oh nothing." Alice said as Jasper tried not to grin despite himself. He knew that Alice had seen Ava eventually moving on and being happy again, Evie too. They hadn't been able to tell who the person with her in the vision was, but when Bella told them what Jacob admitted to her and to Edward the night before, it'd been pieced together, relatively quickly. They hadn't seen Evie since she'd been a baby, so they'd stopped by to visit.

" Have I ever told you, Bells, I hate it when those two do that?" Ava remarked, playfully glaring as best as she could. It wasn't as lonely as she'd feared it'd be, when she'd made the decision to move back in with her father, try to get her life back in order. At least here she had family, she wasn't alone.

"Mama! Snow!" Evie called out as she and Renesmee ran in. Ava nodded and then said "Snowball fight anyone?"

"Not if you still pitch like you did in high school." Edward remarked jokingly as Ava gave him a dirty look and said "I won't pack rocks in them this time, Edward."

Bella groaned and then zipping Renesmee's coat tighter, Ava went upstairs to find Evie's heavy jacket, some warmer clothes.

A few minutes passed and the group of them found themselves in the yard, Ava reminding them, "Okay, for all of us non vampires out here, let's just easily throw the snowballs." making Bella laugh a little and remark with a teasing half grin, "Afraid I can finally out throw you, Ava?"

"Not a chance in hell, Bells." Ava grinned as she packed snow into her little girl's gloved hands, and with a smirk leaned down and whispered, "Now what you wanna do is go over to Uncle Edward and get him to pick you up.. Then you smoosh it."

Evie giggled and Edward called out, "Really, Ava?" as a snowball whizzed past his head. Evie giggled and pointed to something behind Edward. Jacob taunted from behind, "Come on, Cullen.. Didn't Jasper tell you to always watch your back when we had to train against the rogues?"

Edward grumbled and glared at Jacob who shrugged it off. Evie clumsily ran over, grabbing his hand. "Uppy." she demanded as Jacob said with a slight grin, "Thought I'd come over. I mean if it's okay? I didn't realize we'd all be out trying to catch colds." looking at Ava in concern. He could tell she wasn't really sleeping at night, the light of day illuminated just how badly things had been effecting her the past few months.

Ava managed a smile as she lobbed a snowball in his direction lazily. Evie held onto him, smiled. "I watch Grinch." she said as Jacob laughed and then said "You did, huh?" still processing this whole thing, his having imprinted the girl he'd sort of been in love with for years now, one of his best child hood friends. He was getting himself used to being around Evie too, because until now, he'd only seen Renesmee here and there, and there weren't many other kids around on the res, save for Claire.

And Evie needed a dad. Not just a guy who was only interested in mom.

Jacob laughed as he said with a smile, "Evie.. Do you want to see mommy squirm?"

Evie giggled as she nodded. Jacob scooped snow from the hood of Bella's Mercedes and started to walk towards Ava who promptly darted out of the way, surprising herself when she felt herself actually smiling a little. Jacob grabbed her in a hug and muttered "Sorry.. But Evie said.." while sticking a loosely packed snowball down the back of Ava's shirt, making her squirm and shout a little. "Dang it, Jake. I've always hated being cold and wet.. I'm cat like like that."

For some reason, this made Alice and Rosalie almost fall over laughing as Edward gave them dirty looks and walked over, reminded them quietly that Ava had no idea what Jacob was. Ava raised a brow but said nothing, shrugging it off.

About an hour or so later, Bella and Edward, Renesmee and the rest of Bella's extended family were gone, and Ava and Jacob found their way back inside, Jacob carrying a laughing and for the most part dry and content Evie while she jabbered at him.

"So.. I, umm, I heard about Nash." Jacob said as Ava dug, looking for dry clothes for Evie. She stopped and stiffened her shoulders as she said quietly, "Just don't apologize, okay? Because everyone's been apologizing and it's driving me nuts. I'm trying to deal with this without being a pain in anyone's ass."

Jacob nodded and said quietly, "I get it. It's like when my mom died." as Ava dried off and dressed Evie, turning around to face Jacob as she said quietly, "Yeah. I hated that." looking up at him for a few moments. She had the passing thought of just how ruggedly handsome he'd gotten in the years since she'd seen him last, but she didn't allow herself long to dwell on that fact. It'd be totally wrong of her, given the circumstances that bought her back to Forks.

It was too soon.

Jacob sighed as he hugged her and said quietly, "If you want to cry or something, it's okay. Seriously.", making her look up. Ava sighed and said quietly, "I'm not a crier, Jacob. I never have been, remember?" as she managed a weak smile and then added, "But thanks." while looking at him. Evie giggled as she ran through the hallway, having turned on her Furby, letting it run behind her.

Ava groaned as Jacob laughed and asked, "What the hell was that thing?"

"A furby. It's the only toy she actually plays with. It sort of creeps me out, it looks like a hairball with eyes. And one night, at our old place, I forgot to turn the damn thing off before she went to bed and it was a long night, suffice to say. It talks too." Ava admitted sheepishly as Jacob stifled a laugh, shook his head, trying to picture how she'd probably dove beneath blankets, hiding.

She'd done that a lot during the night when they were all younger. If she got freaked out during the night, under the blankets she went.

That much he did remember.

"She's being quiet. That's never a good thing with a 3 year old." Ava muttered as she felt the words thickening on her tongue, tried to tear her eyes off him and make herself leave the spot she stood in. They walked into the den and Ava groaned as Jacob tried not laughing, walked over and sat down in front of the tv with Evie who held out a chocolate to him. Ava sat down, putting Evie in her lap as she turned Evie to face her and asked, "Where in the heck did you find chocolate?"

"Kitchen." Evie said through a mouth full as Jacob snickered and grabbed a tissue, held it out to Ava who worked on getting all the chocolate off Evie's face.

"So.. Are you going to go with your dad and Sue, my dad tonight? Apparently dad got talked into finally putting a tree up. I thought I'd take Evie, if it's not too cold..." Ava said as Jacob nodded and said "Actually, yeah. I was going to go too."

She nodded and they sat in silence, watching some movie on tv, Evie dozing between them.


	4. Chapter 4

Ava groaned and palmed her forehead when she realized that naturally, she and Evie were still getting ready to leave and Sue, Leah and Seth plus Billy and Jacob had all shown up already. Evie giggled as she thrust a pink sweater at her mommy and said "I wear?"

"Works for me, pixie." Ava said as she pulled the sweater down over Evie's head, then tugged the hood on it over her hair, before moving onto the leggings that went beneath a black and pink little plaid skirt. When she went to put on Evie's boots, she couldn't find them. So she was tearing apart the den looking when she heard Evie giggling and running past, to Leah.

"My shoe lost."

Leah picked up the little girl and said with a smile, "Which shoe?"

"My pink one." Evie said as she played peek a boo with Seth over Leah's shoulder. Jacob walked into the living room and said "So, your dad said that Evie lost her shoe.."

"Mhmm. The last place I saw her with it.." Ava started as Jacob held out a pink converse and said "Was by the door where you took it off." while hiding a slight smile. He looked at her pajamas and she groaned then said "Just a minute guys, I swear it'll only take a minute and I'll be ready." before darting up the stairs, a heated blush creeping slowly all over her body.

What was it about him that made her so damn nervous, really, aside from all of the old and still very much lingering feelings.. She hadn't felt this nervous since Nash if she had to be completely and totally honest with herself. She tore through her closet, swearing as she tried to find something at least halfway decent to wear, grumbling when the only thing she could really find at the moment was a pair of dark denim jeggings, her really warm wool socks and an oversized red navy blue and green plaid shirt.

She went with that and finished getting dressed just as she heard Leah calling up the stairs with a laugh, "It's been longer than a minute, Ava. Do I need to come up there?"

"Coming, Le." Ava called down as she looked at herself in the mirror one more time. She scowled at the dark circles under her eyes then reminded herself that it didn't matter how she looked currently, it was still too damn soon to even be considering moving on.

Wasn't it?

She grumbled at herself as she walked down the stairs, seeing Evie already sitting on Jacob's shoulder, giggling about something, a joke he'd told her. "You funny." Evie told Jacob as Jacob shrugged and smiling said "You really think so?"

Evie nodded as she said "Wanna ride with mama and me?" making Ava groan inwardly and start to speak up, pretty sure the last thing Jacob wanted, was to be stuck in the car with a 3 year old and her slightly depressed mother. Jacob, however, spoke up and then said "Actually, I'd like that. I kinda had the stupid idea to ride my motorcycle over, it's snowing."

Ava laughed a little and smiled at him, mouthing "Thanks." as he smiled and mouthed back, "I wanted to." walking out the door with them, getting into Ava's car. "Wow.. This car is really, really small." he laughed as he moved the seat back to give himself a little more leg room. Ava fastened in Evie, and then walked around, getting on the driver side, laughed as she said "It is not."

"Ava.. It's the size of a cracker box." Jacob argued playfully as Ava poked out her tongue and said "Haha." looking over at him. Being around him made her smile a lot more. Being around him reminded her that she wanted to be happy again one day, that maybe it wasn't entirely impossible to do that.

She just had to find the nerve to act on her feelings. If, of course, it wasn't already too late. She looked across at him and asked, "So.. Are they going to a tree lot, or the woods?"

"Well, Dad and Sam had this idea that a tree from the woods.. And your dad agreed. All I can say is that it might not go well." Jacob joked as Ava groaned and said "Last time we got a tree from the woods I thought my toes and nose were going to fall off from frost bite. But this is a good idea, I mean Evie.. Usually Christmas consists of just the two of us, a small tree that can sit on a table, out of her reach and lots of Christmas movies."

Jacob looked at her, brow raised and asked, "So Nash wasn't around? Like at all?"

"Not really, no. He came and went. We kept trying to fix something broken.. It just never really worked out with us. I can't complain, I have Evie... I just feel so damn angry with myself. I think back to the night he died and I remember the way we were arguing." Ava admitted as Jacob grabbed her hand casually and said in a calm quiet voice, "If it didn't work, it's not like it's your fault, Ava. I mean from the little Bella did know about the guy, he seemed like a bit of a jerk."

"To quote a movie, we accept the love we think we deserve." Ava said quietly as Jacob looked at her, mused to himself a moment and then shook his head and argued, "What if everyone else thinks you deserve better? I mean it's been what, a year almost? Do you really think tormenting yourself with everything that happened, Ava, is going to help?" while studying her facial expression as he added quietly, "Sorry.."

"It's fine. You were being honest. And you're right.. But what if what you want just can't happen?" Ava asked, biting her lower lip, looking at him as they drove towards the spot in the woods that her father, Billy and Sam were all waiting at, with their families. She'd just turned down the trail when Jacob asked in curiousity, "What if it can?" holding her gaze a moment. He was taking a huge risk, solely based on what Bella told him, her having the same feelings for him as he had for her for so long..

Ava blinked but said quietly, "I just have to get through all this. But I want to believe it can." as she returned the gaze, trailed her finger across his palm before sliding her hand away, shifting the car into park. Jacob smiled to himself a little and then got out, raising the backseat, unfastening Evie.

Sam walked over, looked from Jacob to the girl he'd imprinted on, then her daughter Evie. "At least now Claire might have someone around to play with." he remarked with a smile as he introduced himself and then Emily, who smiled and hugged Ava, muttered quietly, "Jacob told me about that man. I'm sorry. Loss is always hard."

Ava nodded and said quietly, "Hopefully I'll be okay now."

Charlie watched Jacob with Evie, nudging Billy in the side, nodding his head towards them, laughing. "Kids already got Jacob wrapped around her fingers." Billy mused as he watched his son, smiled. Maybe if Ava had been around more, this whole night would be entirely different. He knew his son and how he felt about Ava, and he knew that sooner or later, Jacob would have went for it.

"I'm going to meddle." Charlie muttered as Billy nodded in agreement and said "Those two need to be happy. Ava's too young to be just giving up on trying to move on and make a new life. So I'm in too."

Jacob laughed as Evie held onto him and then pointed to the sky, giggled. "Stars!"

"Mhmm. There aren't many of those in Florida, are there?" Jacob asked, looking up at the 3 year old who shook her head and said "Just water. Lotta water." wrinkling her nose. He couldn't deny that the little girl was fast wrapping him around her finger, as Ava already had a long time ago. It was kind of hard not to think of Evie as his also, seeing as how he'd imprinted on her mom. "Do you see a tree?" he asked her. She shook her head and said quietly, "Uh uh. Too big."

Ava wandered over with Leah and then smiled as Leah pointed out, "All I'm saying, Av.. is that Jacob's a good guy. And he is trying. And it has been a year now." with a smile. Ava nodded and said quietly, "That's a lot for anyone to take on though.. Besides.. I just need time.. I know what I want though." with a smile as Leah nodded and then leaned in, whispered, "So you're finally going to go for it? Age, for your information, was always just a stupid excuse."

"It really was, wasn't it?" Ava asked as she looked at her best friend, smiled. She jumped when out of nowhere, Jacob wandered over with Evie who was eating a marshmellow. "What?"

"Jake.. Now she's going to be wired."

"Will not." Jacob insisted as he stuffed a marshmellow into his own mouth, gave her a stubborn and playful glare. "They're arguing over who gets what tree."

"Oh joy. This can and will go on for hours. Let's show Evie how to make a snow angel.." Ava attempted as she managed a slight smile at Jacob who said with a smirk, "Yeah, we were always good at that. Bella used to get pissed because she couldn't ever just get out of the snow without leaving a break in the pattern on the ground."

"But I had you to help me." Ava laughed as she pointed out to Evie, "This is a snow angel.. Wanna see?" Evie nodding her head, watching from Seth's arms, giggling. "Me want try."

"Nah, it's a little cold to let you lie on the ground." Jacob and Ava blurted at the same time, Jacob pulling Ava up as if she weighed nothing, brushing the snow off her back. They shared a look for a moment and then laughing, "Jinx."

Once their parents and Sam had their respective trees picked and chopped down, Ava fastened Evie into the car seat again and Jacob got into the passenger seat of the car. The drive back to her fathers, she couldn't stop thinking about their converesation earlier, and what Leah said while Jacob was helping his dad chop down a tree.

Maybe it couldn't hurt to give things a chance.. She still felt everything she had back then for him now, if she had to be honest, feelings seemed to be getting much stronger, the more she was around him..

But was it too soon?


	5. Chapter 5

Ava lie on the couch downstairs, a sleeping Evie beside her, the Rocky series playing on tv. She was up to IV now, and there were at least one and a half empty pints of ice cream on the table in front of her to prove it. She knew this year would be a hard Christmas, Nash being gone, the pain still being so fresh for her. But she'd been really trying to work past it lately. Today, though, it'd just hit her hard, something Evie said earlier made her realize just how bottled up she was actually keeping everything.

Ava wasn't sure how to answer, how to explain what'd happened. Because she'd sort of been living on the hope that Evie's mind filed away the wreck, that she didn't relive it or remember it. It was apparently a blind and stupid hope, because Evie's insisting that her daddy was 'an angel now', as they stuck the angel on top of Charlie's tree in the living room only proved that Evie was far more intelligent than Ava even hoped she'd be. She seemed okay, she seemed accepting of it, even, which only hurt Ava even more.. Had she gotten so used to Nash coming and going, being in her life and then out of it, that she just accepted his dying?

Today, her worst fears as a mother, that Evie did remember the wreck and what happened to her father during the wreck, what almost happened to the two of them also, they'd been confirmed. And after gently and carefully explaining the whole thing to Evie, she'd just pretty much been left reeling, drained again. She felt like a failure as a parent, because her daughter was only 3, and she was already accepting the things Ava and Nash put each other through when they were together.

The lights came on in the den and her father walked in, sat down and looked at her. He gave her a slight knowing smile as he said quietly, "It's not your fault. And I know what you're sitting there doing, Ava. Stop blaming yourself. You're not a failure as a parent and Evie is going to be fine. I felt the same way when your mother and I fought in front of you and your sister. Especially when she took your sister and you and left for her mothers."

"Dad, I.. She shouldn't have had to live in that. I should have just cut the cord when I realized that Nash and I weren't ever going to work out. I kept busting my ass to make it work so she'd have both of us." Ava said quietly as she bit her lip, mulled over the point her father made.

She knew he was right, however, the words they'd been shouting at each other that last night Nash was alive kept seeping back into her mind and she found herself unable to let go of the blame she readily accepted for all this. Had she just let him go, stopped fighting so hard for something that wasn't ever going to work, then maybe things would be a lot different right now.

Sometimes, she wondered, and immediately felt guilty for wondering, what if she'd come back sooner, when she first knew it'd never work out for her in Florida, and she knew what she really wanted, who she really wanted to be with.. Just how different would her life be right now?

"It's okay, Ava. But hanging onto it, blaming yourself isn't going to change anything or help you or Evie. You know that." Charlie pointed out as he pulled the cover up over Evie who snuggled against her grandfather, sucking her thumb sleepily. Ava nodded and then sighing said quietly, " I know, but every single time I think I can get past it and be okay again, I remember how much hell I probably put Evie through, with me and Nash trying to stay together for her sake.."

The door being knocked on had her raising a brow, and Charlie's hand held police issued radio went off about the same time. "Another attack?" Ava asked with a raised brow as Charlie took his cell phone out, walked outside to call into the station, see what was going on. Ava walked to the door, opening it. She blushed a little when she saw Jacob standing on the other side.

"It's 5 pm.. You cannot tell me you sat around in your pajamas all day." Jacob said as Ava nodded sheepishly and then said quietly, "I've been watching Rocky Balboa all day."

"So.. If I told you I came to make you get dressed, you and Evie, and that you had to come with me.. Would you?" Jacob asked as Ava thought it over. For some reason, she went to say no, but the word yes came out instead, and then she asked, "Where?"

"Well, I figured Evie might like to go to that Christmas carnival at the reservation? They have a petting zoo.. And I know how much you've always liked fireworks.." Jacob said as he looked at her, stepping closer, pulling Ava into a hug. Ava hugged back, breathing in his scent, letting the sensation of how sort of right his hugging her, his coming around all the time, his flirting with her felt.

She was slowly getting enough courage to maybe make a small move.

From behind her, Charlie said casually, "Just go with him, Ava.. You and Evie." as he smiled and added, " You know how worried it makes me, leaving you two here alone when I'm gone on a case. I actually have to head to a call now." as he looked at Jacob, giving a smile, a friendly nod hello. He still wasn't sure about the whole shape shifting thing, but the more he learned about it, and the bond between Jacob and his oldest daughter through his oldest and most trusted friend Billy, the more he found himself being okay with it. Just like he'd eventually become okay with Edward's being a vampire.

At the end of the day, both males took care of his daughters and his granddaughters, or they did their best, which was all he wanted, really. If only Ava would let herself be happy again, then he'd be able to relax. He'd be happy for both of his daughters as a father, they'd both found families and happiness, love. And they'd both be taken care of, should something ever happen to him and he couldn't anymore.

"Give me just a few minutes. I gotta wake up Evie and get both of us dressed." Ava said as Jacob nodded and said "I can watch her while you're getting dressed, it's not a big deal, Ava." as he stepped in, biting his lip at the sudden electric jolt as their bodies brushed against each other in the small entry way. He walked into the den, sat down on the couch beside a slowly waking up Evie. He smiled when she woke up and rubbed her eyes sleepily, then crawled into his lap, smiled.

"Me built snowman."

"I saw him, pixie." Jacob laughed as Evie asked quietly, " You like mama?"

"Mhmm. A lot.. I like both of you a lot." Jacob admitted as Evie smiled and then said in a whisper, giggling, "She really like you."

"Oh really?" Jacob asked, interested, smiling as Evie nodded and smiled back at him. She snuggled down into his lap and then said "Mama take forever!"

Jacob laughed and Ava walked down the stairs, into the room, clothes for Evie in hand. "She woke up for you, huh?"

"Actually, yeah. We've been having a pretty interesting conversation." Jacob said as Evie giggled and looked at her mom, going to her so she could get dressed. "Wanna wears my cat hat."

"Where'd you put it?" Ava asked as Jacob held out the beanie hat with cat ears, asking, "Is this it?"

"That'd be the hat, yes." Ava said as she smiled at Jacob and then asked, "So, do they still have all that other stuff?"

"You mean caramel apples.. Right? Yes, Ava." Jacob said as he chuckled, Ava poking her tongue out at him as she said "I haven't had one in so long.." as she dressed Evie and then said with a smirk, "So.. Feel like driving my cracker box of a car, Jacob?"

He took her keys and then picked up Evie, sliding his arm around Ava's back, leading them out to the car as he told Evie about the petting zoo. She seemed wide eyed and excited. Ava smiled to herself. Maybe she could make a small move of sorts, test the waters so to speak.

She did still have those same strong feelings she'd always had for him. And they only seemed to be growing the more she saw him, the more he came around. She just hoped that she hadn't misread the situation.

Sitting in the passenger seat, she bit her lower lip when she felt his hand close around hers, his fingers slipping between her fingers, linking their hands together. "Smile." he instructed her as she nodded, smiled without having to force the gesture.

"So.. What'd you do today?" Ava asked as Jacob said "Went to work, tried not beating the shit out of Lahote when I found out he ate all my Doritos when I got home.. The usual." as he looked at her, leaned across.. Did he really have the guts to do what he was contemplating right now?

His lips found hers and she groaned as her eyes popped open when she leaned in on instinct and their lips met. She hadn't been expecting him to kiss her, but she couldn't deny that his kissing her actually felt right. She didn't feel guilty about it for once, either. "As long as it takes, Ava." he muttered as he looked at her, broke the kiss. She nodded quietly and then bit her lower lip, trying to collect herself.

Because, yes, it had had quite the effect on her. And she realized just how much she did want to try and get on with her life, live again.


	6. Chapter 6

Jacob snickered as he watched Evie staring down Paul, her hand on her little hip, glaring in determination. "It my show, Unca Paul." she pouted as she poked out her lower lip. Paul looked at her, then at Jacob, then at the remote. However, when Rachel smacked him on the back of the head and said calmly, "She wants to watch Glee, Paul. You've had the remote all day."

"Babe." Paul whined as he sighed and said "Okay, fine. You win shortstack.. Only if you give Uncle Paul a kiss on the cheek?" as the 3 year old crawled into his lap and clapped, singing along with the song that the cast of the show was singing currently.

Evie gave him a kiss on the cheek then crawled out of his lap, went to sit on her perch in Jacob's lap, tugging his sleeve, looking up at him. She was excited, because since her grandpa worked a lot, and her mommy was interning at the hospital again, helping sick people, she got to spend time with Jacob.. She wanted Jacob to be her daddy. She'd already pretty much decided that if her real dad were alive, he'd want her mommy to be happy again too. And Jacob made her mommy happy.

"What's up, pixie?"

"Wanna dance with me, da?" she asked. Jacob looked at her a minute, processing what she'd just said, and then smiling he stood up and spun her around a little, making her laugh before sitting back down. He'd been keeping Evie while Ava was interning, which surprised not only himself when he'd made the offer, but his dad, his sister Rachel, and Charlie, who'd almost choked on his coffee, but gave him an encouraging smile.

His eyes darted to the clock. He hated the days that Ava worked the night shift. Especially considering the attacks were now happening right in town, and at least one girl had been attacked and bitten leaving work. Bella had also expressed her concern at Ava's working the night shift, but Ava came up with compromise that seemed to make not only Charlie and Bella happy, but Jacob also. When she worked night shifts, Jacob picked her up.

"We go get mama?" Evie asked as Jacob looked at her and said "Yeah, just a second, pixie. Let dad see how cold it is out. If it's too cold, you can stay here and argue with Uncle Paul some more. You want that don't you?" he asked. She giggled and looked between them for a few minutes, then shook her head and said "Wanna go with you."

Rachel smiled to herself and covertly took a few pictures for later. Seeing her brother happy was making her happy. She wasn't worried about him anymore. She'd been worried about him, because he'd been less than happy when he learned that along with being a shifter, he no longer got the choice as to who he fell in love with. But when he'd imprinted on Ava, Rachel had been relieved, because they'd been really, really close as kids.

"Okay, alright. You can go with me. Let's just find your jacket and grab another cookie." Jacob said as Evie cheered and crawled from his arms to his shoulders, sitting there. "We go byebye now." she announced as they walked out the door and got into the car.

About halfway to the hospital, he heard her snoring lightly in her seat, smiled to himself. But the smile was quickly replaced with a nervous feeling when he pulled into the hospital parking lot and saw a crowd of people, most of the Forks Police Department lingering around outside, gathered around a taped off area.

He held his breath and Charlie walked over, knocked on the window and said quietly, "Ava's still inside.. Any chance I can get my little pixie and you can get her to walk around the back.. This attack was worse than the others, I don't really think she needs to see it."

Jacob raised a brow but Charlie continued, "A girl she works with, Elizabeth stepped out to smoke or something, got attacked. She's alive but it's not really looking good." as Jacob nodded and said "Elizabeth's the girl she went out for pizzas with Monday, right?"

"Yeah, to plan that fundraiser for the hospital." Charlie said quietly as he added, "I don't like her working nights any more than you do, Jake, but we both know she'll fight us tooth and nail on it."

Jacob unstrapped Evie and gave her to Charlie, and took off for the back side of the hospital, slipping in through the emergency room. But as soon as he entered, the smell of leech hit him. The smell wasn't the same as the Cullens or Bella..

This was different.. Yet slightly familiar, almost as if he'd smelled it before. Was it rogues, or was this Volturi related? He knew that the Cullens and Bella were contemplating a move because someone accused them of creating an Eternal Child having seen Renesmee.. Bella just wanted to get somewhere safer so that Charlie Ava and Evie weren't dragged into this, and Renesmee was safe. But so far, everywhere they'd tried, they'd either been turned away, or they'd been tracked down.

It was almost like the Volturi were pushing them into some battle in Forks. The thought pissed Jacob off because of course that affected the girl he loved, Ava and her daughter, which he was fast coming to think of as his own child. He texted Bella quickly, explained what happened tonight so that maybe if one of them were near, Edward could find a way into their thoughts somehow, see who'd attacked the other intern tonight.

He'd just put his phone up when he felt hands going over his eyes. He turned around and leaned in, gave Ava a kiss hello and said with a smirk, "That's not fair. I was supposed to sneak up on you, Ava."

"Yeah? Well maybe you should work on your stealth, Jake." Ava joked as she leaned against him a little, said casually, "I can definitely tell it's the holidays. You would not believe the idiots that have come in here tonight." looking up at him.

She could tell something was bothering him, instantly she worried that maybe he was starting to realize just how taxing it was having a 3 year old around, and just how much baggage she actually had. She found her stomach churning as she asked, "Jake? Why'd you come in the back way? And what's wrong?"

Jacob groaned inwardly. He knew if he tried to lie out of this, she'd figure it out, so he said quietly, "Somebody was attacked in the parking lot tonight, Ava."

Ava paled and asked, "Who? They're alright.. Right?" as Jacob said quietly, "Elizabeth. And your dad said he's not sure if she'll make it. They've got her stable. He didn't want you to see it.."

Ava nodded and said quietly, "The attacks are getting worse. I wish they could find who was doing this. I've almost quit interning about 3 times now, because the idea of working the night shift just.. It freaks me out right now." looking up at him.

Picking her up he said calmly, "I'm not going to let anything happen to you, Ava." as he carried her out the back door, making her laugh a little. They got to the car and Charlie walked over, explained what happened to Ava, as much as he was actually allowed to tell anyway, and then he said quietly ,"I'm gonna be out later tonight, we're still working the scene, trying to get as much as we can before the snow starts back up.. I think it'd be for the best if you went back to Jacob's with Evie."

Ava nodded, for once not arguing. They left and got back to Jacob's, Ava putting Evie on the couch with them as Jacob pulled her into his lap and asked, "So.. You were saying?"

"Oh yeah.. I'm not sure why or how even, but one of the doctors was talking about a guy coming in with a stab wound in the top of his foot. He asked the guy how it happened and the guy said that he and some friends had been throwing the damn thing between their bare feet and he missed the ground, pegged his foot instead. Why would you even do that in the first place?"

Jacob laughed a little then said "I have no idea even."

"Thank God I don't have another night shift this week." Ava said quietly as she leaned against him, resting for a little while, the two of them watching It's A Wonderful Life as it played on tv. The more time she spent with Jacob the more used to things she got, the more natural this all got for her and she was starting to slowly find herself getting comfortable with the idea of maybe moving on, letting her guard down.

And nights like tonight, the way he'd made her feel safer just being there, waiting on her only made her that much more certain that she wanted to at least try to move on, see what she and Jacob might have. She sat up a little, pulling him into a kiss as she muttered quietly, "You are an amazing man, Jacob Black." He kissed back and shook his head adding with a laugh, "I'll take it though." looking at her, smiling. She'd kissed him first this time. Maybe she was finally starting to be ready to move on.

He certainly wasn't going to rush her though. He wanted her to move on on her own time, be with him willingly not feel like she had to be with him, like he was forcing her into it. Brushing hair out of her eyes he said quietly, "You and Evie are my world. I mean that. I'm not going to rush you into anything. I'll wait as long as I have to, okay?"

Ava nodded and said quietly, "I want to try.." looking up at him. He nodded and pulled her closer, covering up Evie with her blue and pink blanket as he said quietly, "For now though.. You need to rest. Sounds like you had one hell of a shift."

"God, yes." Ava grumbled as she snuggled against him a little more freely than she had been before, let him put the camoflauge blanket he normally slept under on his bed over them. "Just don't let me snore." she said as he laughed and then whispered, "I've endured Paul's snoring. I highly doubt you're as loud as that jackass." trailing his fingers through her hair. He remembered from when they were younger, that was a fast way to get her to go to sleep, even though she'd been older than him. According to his dad, he'd claimed when they were younger, Ava was his 'girlfriend'.

The fact that he'd imprinted on her, when he already loved her just made things a lot easier for him to take, really. Because when he'd first become a shifter, he hadn't altogether liked the concept. Now he didn't really mind. Because he was doing it to protect them.


	7. Chapter 7

Bella insisted on taking Evie tonight, she said that Renesmee and Evie wouldn't see much of one another soon, so she wanted them to have as much time together as possible and Ava hadn't objected. She knew Bella and her brother in law were moving to Canada soon to be safer, to allow Renesemee a life without fear of being found, hurt or killed because of what she happened to be.

That went without saying, she hadn't had a night to herself honestly, since Evie had been born, and lying in the bed in the dark, she was starting to realize just how little she liked not having her little girl next to her or at least in the room she was supposed to be sleeping in down the hall.

She rolled over, trying to get comfortable, trying to go to back to sleep, but she just couldn't, the rather suggestive and steamy dream she'd been having still stuck with her, making her wish it were real, that he was actually here with her right now, this second.. "Damn it." she swore as she sat up, looked around the room yet again. Had she heard a sound?

When the pebbles hit the window again, she realized that yes she had. Raising a brow, she slid out of bed, tiptoed to the window and peered down to find Jacob standing there, looking up at the window, pacing as if he were nervous or something, muttering to himself.

Down on the ground, Jacob went over his reason for showing up like this tonight. He couldn't sleep, he kept having these very descriptive and very hot dreams of her. He told himself that he'd just take a cold shower in the morning and deal with it, but when midnight came and he hadn't just fallen asleep already, he'd gotten up, thrown on some jeans and now here he stood.

Ava hissed down, "Jacob?"

Jacob's head shot up and he waved, motioned for her to move out of the way, before climbing up, into the open window. She looked at him, nervous.. Had he come over to tell her this, between them was a huge mistake? Or was her pessimistic nature getting to her yet again, her fear of moving on, of messing up, of being hurt once again trying to stop her from moving forward like they had been.

"I couldn't sleep." he said quietly as he looked at her, his eyes moving up and down her body slowly as he coughed, licked his lips. They suddenly felt as dry as sandpaper.

"Me either." Ava admitted, her cheeks turning pink as she blushed remembering why exactly she couldn't sleep. She looked up at him in curiousity and asked, "Why couldn't you sleep?" quietly.

_'You really do not want me to answer that, Ava.'_ he thought to himself as he shrugged and said with a smile, "I wanted to see you, okay?"

"Sheesh, just asking." Ava said as she looked at him and smiling a little said "I'm glad you came over. I was actually sort of just thinking about you." while adding mentally, _'in the shower, on the floor, against the wall.. Apparently the older I get, the racier my mind gets.' _biting her lower lip at some of the memories that managed to flood her brain from the dream she'd only just had, about him, moments before.

The one in which she'd woken up panting for breath, gasping as if she'd just run a marathon, and somehow, her oversized tanktop worked it's way completely off her body. But she wasn't about to admit that, it was still too soon to admit things like that, it was still way too early in their whole relationship to say anything sexual like that.

She blushed almost immediately as she realized that she was actually only wearing the oversized superman tanktop right this very second. Jacob coughed as their bodies again migrated closer to each other, and raking his hand over his hair he thought to himself, _'Kissing her's not out of the question. That'll work. Maybe then the dreams I keep having won't keep driving me insane.' _ as he slid his arm around her, resting his hand against her lower back, his other hand migrating to her neck, pulling her into a kiss as he muttered, "And now I'm curious.. What were you thinking about me?"

Ava bit her lower lip as the kiss broke, so they could catch their breath and raking her hand through her hair she muttered, "Just thinking about you." blushing a little as she looked up at him. Her other hand rested on his bare chest, she could feel the steady thump thump of his heart as it seemed like it was trying to race out of his chest, much like her own. "It's hard to sleep without Evie here." she admitted quietly and mostly to break the heavy silence between them.

He nodded and said "I can imagine." as he looked at her, still trying to recover from the effect the kiss had on him. He found himself wondering if the kiss effected her in a similar way, or was he imagining things... His hands slid down the sides of her body, rested on her hips and she bit her lower lip, admitted quietly, "This is kinda the first time a guy's actually snuck into my room." looking up at him. Jacob chuckled and nodding said "It's kinda the first time I've snuck into a girls room... I mean just to kiss her."

Ava nodded, looking up at him. She was standing closer now, it tended to happen whenever he was around she noticed, she just somehow wound up migrating towards him as if there was some kind of magnetic forcefield in the air. "Awww." she muttered as she raked her hands through his hair, standing on tiptoe, kissing him back. He completely crushed her against him and deepened the kiss, his hands gripping her hips now.

If he didn't stop himself soon... He didn't want to rush this, he knew she was still getting over the loss of her ex, every thing she'd been through in the past year and a half almost, but waiting of course, was driving him insane. And worrying what might happen when he told her everything, of course, none of that helped either.

Ava bit her lower lip, the heat radiating off of his skin was almost too hot, comforting though in it's own way, even though she always worried about him constantly being so hot. Looking up at him, she caught her breath, remained as he held her against him and muttered, "Mmm. Maybe we should slow down." even though she didn't want to, that was the complete opposite of what she actually wanted to do in all honesty.

But what she wanted to do, it was just too much too soon. She was wary of messing things up, she knew if she rushed things, she'd only regret it later. Or he would. Either way, one of them or the other would regret it if they moved too quickly.

Jacob nodded and said quietly, "Yeah." as he stood there, towering over her, he was nearly 6'7 to her 5'3, and picking her up, he sat her on her bed, sat down beside her, pulling her onto his lap. "Remember those sleepovers our dads used to let us all have?" he asked as he looked at her, not entirely sure how she'd take what he was about to say, just knowing that coming all the way over here, just on a whim, just to kiss her, now that he thought about it, probably wasn't going to do anything but make the dreams he kept having even more persistant..

"Yeah, why." Ava asked, laughing a little as she realized he was about to suggest not leaving, but nothing having to happen. She felt slightly disappointed but in some ways happy. He was being so sweet about this, having to just be there and wait. She was really trying to get past everything for him, because she'd always loved him, so it was comforting to know that he wasn't backing away just because she was such a mess right now. "You can stay." she added as she looked at him. He chuckled and nodding said "Nothing has to happen."

"One condition though.. No stealing my blanket. Unlike you, I get cold easy." Ava joked as he slid into bed, pulled her down next to him and said quietly, "You probably won't need a blanket. I'm kinda like a heater or something, it's weird, really."

"That worries me, by the way. The way you stay so consistantly hot." Ava said as he shrugged it off. He knew he'd have to tell her soon, but for now, he'd just enjoy laying here with her pressed against him, in the dark. Trailing his fingers through her hair lazily, he remarked, "It really is weird without Evie here."

"Thank God it's only for one night. I mean I couldn't say no, Nessie and Evie kinda did the whole begging eyes thing and with Bella and Edward moving soon, I know Evie won't get to see her often." Ava admitted as Jacob nodded and said "Yeah, well.. Paul missed her today. The only way he gets away with trying to eat all the cookie dough when Rachel makes cookies is letting her lick the bowl. Today he didn't get to." Jacob laughed as Ava rolled over facing him, kissed him and said quietly, "So.. Maybe we can try this sleeping thing again? You have to work tomorrow, sadly, so do I.."

Jacob kissed her back, his hand on her cheek as he said quietly, "Yeah."


End file.
